


In darkness and light

by blackcrystaly



Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Cannibalism, M/M, Possessive!Sherlock, Protective!Sherlock, Serial Killers, Tags May Change, dark!john
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-30
Updated: 2014-06-30
Packaged: 2018-02-06 19:42:41
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,993
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1869993
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blackcrystaly/pseuds/blackcrystaly
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>John thought he had managed to keep his secret from Sherlock until the Consulting Detective uttered the words that changed everything:<br/>“Did you really think I wouldn’t know about your little… excursions? Or I wouldn’t realize exactly what was being served to me?” </p><p>Working summary</p>
            </blockquote>





	In darkness and light

**Author's Note:**

> This story is a bit graphic, there is some disturbing imaginery and scenes of violence, still I don't think it should trigger anyone, but just in case tread in careful if you are sensitive. Also, if someone thinks I should add any warning or tag please let me know.
> 
> This story isn't betaed, but I hope it will be.  
> English isn't my mother language, if you find any mistake -which is bound to happen- I beg you let me know kindly.
> 
> I'll be coming back several times during the next few days to make little corrections
> 
> A little fic to try to help me and my muse to get back to work on stories...

The man moved slowly in the mostly dark streets, his military training helping him to move slowly and with precision to the unsuspecting prey. It had taken him several weeks to find the man but tonight his good luck would come to an end. The blond shadow moved with an ease born from years of practice and everything finished in just a couple of seconds. He cut up and took the meat he needed to feed himself and his unsuspecting mate before taking care of the scene in front of him; he removed all of the teeth from the body and cleaned everything thoroughly before setting the whole place ablaze. It was pretty probable that the firefighters or the police would find the body but he knew there wouldn’t be any easy way to either identify the corpse nor point at him as the murderer.

He walked out, careful to avoid the scarce CCTV cameras that had been installed in the close vicinity. He got into the car he had rented online and drove to the place where he had arranged to leave the vehicle. He changed into his everyday clothes and put the meat he had collected into some old shopping bags. His roommate always noted the oddest things so he wasn’t taking any chance. Then he flagged a cab that would drop him close to his home. The middle aged man managed to take off his special suit in a blind CCTV spot that Sherlock had showed him one night after a particularly dangerous adventure. The taller man had pushed him against the nearest wall before kissing him passionately, his hands roaming all over John’s body as if trying to prove his eyes hadn’t deceived him and that his partner was safe and sound despite their foolish behavior.

“I think Mycroft will finally have the pleasure to call to remind you about public indecency” John said with a naughty smile.

The taller one laughed hard.

“As if I’d give him the satisfaction...” He said before explaining why there was no way in Hell his brother could be told of his "shameless and reckless" behavior.

 

*****

 

The Consulting Detective had found Mycroft subtly flirting with an unsuspecting Lestrade some months ago while he investigated a crime and decided to cut in. Sherlock told his sibling in no uncertain terms that the silver fox wasn’t catching up, instead the red haired one was making the Detective Inspector feel uncomfortable, and he was almost tempted to report the British Government for indecent behavior. Gregory had looked open mouthed at the brothers and Watson had yanked his lover back and away from the other two before apologizing to the men and then dragging his bothersome but brilliant partner away. He hadn’t been quick enough to prevent the episode, damn Sherlock and his long legs. Even if the younger Holmes had cracked the case they could very well send the new information to the yarder by text message.

“Bit not good?” The brunette asked softly while he was being dragged to a cab. For some reason he always felt bad when the other looked at him disappointed .

John breathed deeply before answering.

“Did you even think that you might as well destroyed any chance Mycroft ever had of seducing Lestrade?” The former soldier asked seriously.

The taller man looked taken aback for a second before he bolted and tried to return to the place he had been taken away. This time John was able to catch him before the man was able to make things worse and pushed him inside of their ride and giving the driver their address.

“Let them solve it by themselves, Sherlock” He said putting a strong arm around the slim waist of his lover.

It took him a moment to subside the brunette’s fight. As much as the younger Holmes pretended to publicly hate his brother he was fiercely protective of the man.

“If Lestrade dares to break his heart…” Sherlock hissed.

John smiled, he treasured those rare moments where he could see the dark personality of his lover out in the open. He could almost envision the companion the Detective could make if he embraced that other side he tried to hide and that some rare people could see as clearly as he did. The difference between him and them was that he didn’t fear but loved the idea.

“I’m pretty sure he won’t, Sherlock” Watson promised calmly. The Detective Inspector and he had shared some confidences now and then and he knew the man felt attracted to the British Government but thought there was no way such powerful and rich man would ever return his feelings.

Slowly the brunette let his wrath subside and the spurt of action receded into tense calm. John let go of his lover and the Consulting Detective fished his phone out of a pocket to type all of his findings on a message.

 

*****

 

Slowly, John climbed the stairs of 221B and opened the door with his own key, carrying the bags in one hand and smiling softly. He noticed the body of his lover resting over their couch. He was wearing the blue-grey robe that usually indicated he wasn’t working on a case or at least one that was interesting enough. The blond walked slowly to his partner and kissed briefly the other’s lips before moving away to put the fresh meat into the refrigerator. Sherlock usually kept his paws away from the meat he brought home for dinner after a big quarrel they had one day when he used the two steaks Watson had bought at the butcher for some experiment just after the shop’s closing time, also the doctor knew it would be rare for the detective to venture into the kitchen when he was in one of his moods. John arranged everything to cook once he finished his shower and went into the bathroom.

He had always feared that his lover would know his secret with the same speed and ease he had found every other aspect of his life, still, some years had passed and Sherlock never seem any wiser. Of course, the former army soldier had taken painful care for his hunts to remain in the dark, at first he only bought the meat into the flat when the brunette wasn’t in, but then he thought it would end up looking suspicious. Still, Sherlock had more than once found him preparing some old recipes and didn’t seem to notice any out of the ordinary, which made Watson wonder if maybe the only reason for the Consulting Detective to know when was playing with human organs was the fact he had taken them from corpses, or had them taken for him.

 

Two hours later he had both their meals ready and John left the kitchen to convince Sherlock to leave the couch and come to grab a bite. The younger man groaned and reminded John that it was all just transport. The blond smiled sadly and gave him a kiss on the lips.

“Fine, I’ll leave it on the table in case you decide stop being a twat and come eat with me…” He said amiably before standing up.

Suddenly Sherlock trapped his wrist and pulled him violently to his body, making Watson fall violently against his chest and turned them around with an amazing speed. One of his hands trapped both John’s wrists over the blond’s head. He demanded another kiss from his prisoner, his grey eyes shining dangerously.

“ _Have you cooked one of your special dishes, John?_ ” The younger Holmes asked softly with a hint of darkness in his voice, the same tone that always made John’s green pupils shine with desire. The first time it happen he had let Sherlock convince himself the reason behind it was because he had a submissive streak, the same one that everyone cited as the only reason for him to remain living with the man genius first and to accept him as a lover, later.

For a moment, Watson thought about giving him a flirting answer to his lover but there was something in the way he phrased the sentence that made Watson doubt before answering, instead showed a confused face while his body got pliant under his mate. It wouldn’t be the first time had to reheat their dinner because the younger Holmes suddenly got into a playful mood. For a second he thought what would an old friend of his tell if he ever heard about it.

“ _Did you really think I wouldn’t know about your little… excursions? Or I wouldn’t realize exactly what was being served to me?_ ” The brunette asked before taking his lover’s earlobe between his teeth.

John went completely still. He had let himself to relax around the Consulting Detective, wanting to believe he could keep his secret from the extraordinary partner he had chosen and now… he had to make a choice. Should he attack the taller man and eliminate the threat or there was the little chance he could convince Sherlock he had made one of those rare mistakes? He was pretty sure he could come up with a credible story for anything his lover could have deduced and he really abhorred the idea of finishing off the one he had chosen in order to protect himself.

“The first time it was two weeks after the cabbie, you brought home both tights and a couple of lungs…” Sherlock began to say very softly, almost seductively while John trembled subtly under his body “The second one was mid-summer, you brought a heart and some brain; the third time…” The little tirade was interrupted when Watson managed to turn them around. The Consulting Detective as many others usually tended to forget he was a trained army soldier and he had kept in shape thanks to their dangerous lifestyle.

The blond’s eyes where shining with happiness and amazement. He kissed the younger Holmes passionately. His mind getting around the fact that Sherlock had known of his secret for as long as they had lived together and yet never uttered a word.

“You are as _incredible_ as ever…” He said making sure the other knew it was a sincere praise, “but… if you have known for so long then… why you never said anything?” John asked softly, the tip of his nose brushing the long neck of his lover, his wrists still trapped by the brunette.

 

Sherlock just smiled mysteriously and turned them around once more.

They kissed once more, their tongues dancing around each other. John trapped his mate’s waist between his legs and pulled him even closer. Slowly the younger Holmes released his lover’s wrist taking the barest chance he would try to attack him and fly; he knew the other man had thought of it. And yet, if he did there was no place in the world the good doctor would be able to hide from him. He would use every penny, call in every favor and even ask for Mycroft’s help to bring him back sound and safe… and of course he would have the teach the other a lesson… he hadn’t been protecting Watson from the very beginning to let him run away in panic.

And yet, the blond didn’t try to escape, he just used his now free hands to disrobe his partner and reveal his pale skin. The brunette let some of his tension go and proceed to help his lover out of his freshly put on clothes. Once John was out of his jumper and shirt, Sherlock closed his mouth on the man’s neck, biting the skin hard enough to leave his mark on it. He always loved being able to see it the next day and trying to keep it fresh, showing everyone that this man was his. The smaller man turned his head aside to give him more space.

John moaned softly and his fingers entwined with the dark curls of the younger Holmes. His hardened flesh pulsating against the other’s still inside of his trousers and begging for release. He wanted Sherlock and he wanted him now!

“Please…” He begged, all the other issues forgotten for a little while.

Sherlock smiled to himself and a couple of naughty fingers began to caress his partner’s well-known body, his mouth soon followed. He played with the man’s perky nipples, licking, biting and blowing some air over them, which made John whimper half in excitement and half in protest. Meanwhile his hands kept working on the rest of the other’s clothes, to free the man’s hard on. Sherlock used his hand to take both their cocks and began to pump them at the same time.

Watson’s breath was ragged, his free palm run through the other’s back and his nails left pink traces from the neck to the beginning of the other’s arse, he always tried to make them deep enough for his lover to feel them the next day. He loved to see the subtle his mate’s eyes changed whenever the clothes brushed against the roughed skin of his back.

Both, John and Sherlock felt their orgasm closing over them. It took but a moment for them to come, Watson almost yelling the name of his lover and Sherlock hissing John’s.

 

 

After a couple of minutes they recovered their breaths. Their bodies pressed together, their eyes shining.

“Sherlock…” John said with a rough voice “I think I should go back to the kitchen and at least try to save our dinner”

“It won’t go to waste in another couple of hours… do you remember I’m an expert when it comes to the human body?” The other man said matter of fact while giving his lover a soft kiss against the pulse point.

 

Watson wasn’t deceived, he already knew that his lover was trying to get a read on his heart rate to evaluate the possible outcomes of his earlier revelations. It was obvious that he already knew of his idea to simply disappear from his life, with or without trying to kill him first to protect himself. But that thought had been already deleted from his mind. If Sherlock had known of his secret for so long and could speak so easily of something most people were repulsed by, chances were he wasn’t in any immediate danger. Maybe his perfect dark mate was closer to the surface than anyone ever suspected.

“We will have to talk about this, Sherlock” He said.

“What is there to talk about? You feel the need to kill once every couple of months and when you do you take some edible flesh and organs and bring them to make us some meals… maybe now you know next time you could also bring me back a little something to experiment on? You know Molly has been skimping me new bodies and their parts” He said seriously.

Those words were so… Sherlock that John couldn’t help but laugh wholeheartedly.

“Of all the things I thought you would ask me if you ever found out… I never expected that one!” _Even if he should have_ , of course, after their laugh over the “awful cabbie” whose body was cooling into the room he had tried to finish his lover’s off and the way he used to try to hoard body parts into their home.

“Look, Sherlock” Watson said suddenly serious trying to come with a polite way to tell the other he wouldn’t become a provider of human flesh for him to experiment on.

“Please John, do you think I’d want for you to get caught because we became too greedy?” The man asked visibly bothered at the other utter silliness.

The green eyes of the former army doctor shone at the use of “we”. It was obvious that his mate had no trouble about accepting and showing his own darkness to him… and it made him vow once again to protect such treasure he had found.

They kissed again, and this time the younger Holmes let the other stand up and move to the bathroom first and to go the kitchen later to save their dinner. He remained quiet for a second before making the same route. Sherlock hugged his lover from behind while he managed to heat up the meat and serve it again.

“Don’t ever think of running away from me, John… there is no place in the world you can hide… you choose to come live with me, you saved my life and you made me fall for you… I won’t let you go back into the shadows and disappear from my side…” The Consulting Detective said slowly, sensuously, letting out the darkness John always craved to hear in his voice.

“Sherlock…” Watson whispered resting his weight against the other’s chest.

“I know how much you like when I show my darker sides.” He said slowly, almost sensuously his tongue caressing his lover’s neck “Donovan isn’t so far from the truth when she says that some day they will find a corpse and I would be the one who had produced it… but it won’t happen _yet_ … and sure thing they won’t be able to pin me to it.”

Those words made John smile wholeheartedly.

“I don’t intend to leave you, Sherlock, I love you…” He confessed, and that made him certainly more dangerous for anyone who tried to come between them. Not even Mycroft had any chance…

“My brother knew even before me, John” the brunette said calmly, his voice devoid of emotion “Did you think it was by chance that your hunting grounds have so little CCTV cameras around? A lucky coincidence that there was never any report on the remains you left behind? That there had not been any news of a serial killer who takes his victims parts as souvenirs?” He asked with an evil smile on his face and serious voice but there was a hint of irony in there too.

That certainly left Watson speechless. He had thought it was simply good luck and some official sloth or lack of courage to walk into those places where the most dangerous people lived and thrived.

“Don’t get over concerned about it, thinks won’t change in that regard, I promise you” Sherlock vowed “Even thought I think there will be a special team to clean after you and there will an unmarked car waiting to bring you home instead of those cheap rental cars and cabs you so riskfully take... I hope this doesn’t ruin the whole experience for you…”

John smiled and shook his head softly.

“Of course not, Sherlock. I wish I could explain to you what I feel, what drives me to it… but I don’t think I can put it into words… there is this drive inside… this want… and there is something so unique about this flavor, and of sharing it with you… with my mate” He whispered.

The Consulting Detective was surprised at hearing him voice the word “mate”, it was so strong to hear and it made him exultant. Mycroft had been right when he said that John wasn’t just any serial killer, nor was he using or deceiving Sherlock in order to be protected, to deflect attention from himself, to frame him or to eventually make him prey. Doctor Watson, Mycroft swore, was in love with him. He had already risked his freedom and the odd chance that his secret was found and exposed by killing a man just to save the younger Holmes' life. Watson was always taking care of him and sharing the special meat he procured taking a chance Sherlock would actually deduce what it was and where it came from.

 

*****

 

Sherlock realized what John was some days after the man saved his life and his first instinct was to try to locate the scene he had left behind not to investigate it, but to make sure he hadn’t left any traces. Then he decided it would be best if he went directly to his brother who had the best cleaning teams at his disposals.

All the way to his brother’s favorite place he couldn’t help but think that even if he had been forced to be lenient on crime sometimes, he had never consciously protected an unremorseful murder before –accidental murder, yes; justified murder, of course-. And yet the sole idea of John going to prison because of it… all of his body and his mind rebelled at it.

 

Eventually the Holmes brother’s greeted at each other in the Stranger’s Room of the Diogenes Club before attacking the issue at hand. The red haired one already knew of the blond’s activities and had been waiting for Sherlock to realize and to come to tell him what he wanted to do. He had protected Watson because he could see how important the man was in the other’s life even if they hadn’t become lovers yet.

The younger Holmes asked his sibling for help to protect the former army doctor and they finally spoke of his growing feelings for the man, and he came to accept what should have been obvious if he had been able to observe and study instead of being blindsided by the attraction and amazement at finding someone so unique. It was always like this when he went to Mycroft with a problem; it had been like that since they were little.

The British Government promised the Consulting Detective he would make sure John’s kills were undetected. And when the time came if he ever chose to tell the other of their knowledge he would put a cleaning crew at their disposals. It took Sherlock several hours to realize the subtle change of pronouns so enraptured and calm he felt now he knew his brother would be protecting Watson.

There was something else in the older man’s voice but he couldn’t quite pinpoint what it was. There was a shadow of a sad smile, a bit of resignation but also some hope… still Sherlock knew whatever it happened in the future his brother would always accept, take care and love him.

 

*****

 

“Hush, it’s okay…” Sherlock whispered slowly. He wanted to know, to understand, but John wasn’t an experiment and if he said he couldn’t elaborate he wouldn’t put any pressure on him. “There is no need to go into that right now” Of course the other wouldn’t believe if he told “ever” so he phrased it in a more believable way for his lover.

The blond turned around and gave a passionate kiss to his lover.

“I think we should eat now or this will really go to waste… and I’d hate to trash perfectly good food” He said with a serious face but a soft smile; the gentle warrior once more.

“Of course, especially when it’s so rare and difficult to acquire” Sherlock said with a dark smile “One day…” He whispered.

John smiled.

“Let’s take things one step at a time, okay?” He said before giving the man a soft peck on the lips and moving away to serve the food on the already set table.

 

*****

 

On the coffee table the cell phone of Sherlock vibrated a couple of times. Finally a short text message came through, one he would find some half an hour later -such was the effect of John in his life-:

 

**Sherlock, a friend of mine has a case that could really interest you. They have a serial killer who takes body parts and leaves pretty “artistic” scenes -I don't really want to even think what that means- behind. If you are interested to work with the FBI call me and I contact you with Special Agent Jack Crawford. GL**

**PS: Tomorrow your brother and I will go on our first date, you crash it, I won’t kill you but take your cold cases access privileges away and won’t call you to any new case for several months… your choice.**

**Author's Note:**

> I wanted to write a darker John, so this is my first dip on it.
> 
> Feedback is well liked and appreciated, I loved to know about what readers think of my stories
> 
> Disclaimer: Characters belong to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, their present incarnation to BBC, I'm just playing with them. The story, however, is mine.


End file.
